Rocket launchers



n 21,1966 P. v. CHQ'ATE Em. 3,256,177

ROCKET LAUNCHERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 31, 1963 IN VEN TORS CHARLES B. WEEKS PAULV. CHOATE BY FRANK A.SP|NALE ATTORNE June 21, 1966 P. v. CHOATE ETAL 3,256,777

ROCKET LAUNGHERS Original Filed July 31, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 f'\ i 1 0 Q) x pl m t W on N 1 1 F4, I I N F- l l m 1* 1 I l i 7 Q I 7 I Q Q l LL -o Q1 a LL &

n n 9 LL 0 h a; g a a h INVENTORS 1 CHARLES B. WEEKS PAUL v. CHOATE i I 1: BY FRANK A. SPINALE q; Q W I ATTORNE FIGIO United States Patent 3,256,777 ROCKET LAUNCHERS Paul V. Choate, Milton, Charles B. Weeks, Reading, and Frank A. Spinale, Beverly, Mass., assignorsto Norris Thermador Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Continuation of application Ser. No. 299,006, July 31,

1963. This application Aug. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 483,018 16 Claims. (Cl. 891.7)

type disclosed in United Letters Patent No. 3,122,059,

granted Nov. 1, 1963, and is a continuation of our patent application'Ser. No. 299,006, filed July 31, 1963 now abandoned.

A launcher of the above referred to type has first and second tubular sections that are telescopingly connected to enable the launcher to be extended into an elongated position of use from a shortened, inoperative position with the first section being the breech end and fitting within the second section. During movement of the launcher sections from a predetermined partly extended position into a fully extended position, the firing member is moved into its cocked position, the firing spring becomes operatively tensioned, and the launcher sections become locked together.

Launchers made in accordance with the above referred to application have met the requirements of production and use and the principal objective of the present invention is to provide improvements in the mechanism by which the launcher is readied for firing during the predetermined short relative movement between the sections to complete the extension of the launcher into its operative position.

The general objective is attained by providing the first launcher section with a fixed, rigid member that overlies the second launcher section. The firing member is supported by the rigid member and moves therewith relative to the second launcher section except during the above referred to predetermined short relative movement when it becomes connected to and moves with the second launcher section and relative to the rigid member. This objective is best realized when the second member is also rigid and is connected to the trigger only during such predetermined, short relative movement.

Another objective of the invention is to provide means interconnecting the rigid and firing members when they are in a predetermined relationship with means also being provided to release the interconnection duringsuch predetermined short relative movement between the sections.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a safety movable between a trigger holding and a trigger releasing position with the safety, when in its trigger releasing position, holding the lock against re-engagement when the trigger is released.

Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a launcher with a rigid member fixed to its first section and overlying its second section, the second section having a front sight pivotally connected thereto to fold rearwardly from an erect position of use into an inopertive position where it is held down by the front part of the rigid member. The front sight has an erecting spring so that, while it is held down in the inoperative launcher position, it is -free to erect itself as the launcher is so extended as to disengage the front part of the rigid member from the front sight.

Anotherobjective of the invention is to proivde the second launcher section with a housing for the rigid member and the front sight, with the housing having a port through which the front sight erects itself when released, and yet another objective is to provide the housing with a rearward port with which the rigid member comes into "ice locking engagement in the fully extended, operative position of the launcher.

In the accompanying drawings there i shown as lllustrative embodiment of a rocket launcher in accordance FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a rocket launcher in its extended position,

FIGURE 2 is a like View but with the rocket launcher in its shortened, inoperative position,

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinally and vertically sectioned view of the two members showing their relationship to each other and to various other parts in the inoperative position of the launcher.

FIGURE 4 is fragmentary and partly sectioned view, on an increased scale showing the two members interconnected by the locking means,

FIGURE 5 is a similar view showing the locking means, disengaged, the firing member connected to the trigger and in its firing position, and the safety in its safe position,

FIGURE 6 is a similar section showing the relationship of the safety to the latch of the locking means when the safety is moved into its unsafe position,

FIGURE 7 is a sectiontaken approximately along the indicated lines 77 of FIGURE 5, and

FIGURES 8, 9, and 10 are section taken along the indicated lines. 8-8, 99, and 10-10, respectively, of FIGURE 5.

The launcher shown in the drawings has a first and second tubular sections 15 and 16, respectively, with the first section 15 being the breech end and slidably fitting within the second section 16 so that the launcher may be extended from its shortened inoperative position, see FIG- URE 1, into its elongated operative position, see FIG- to accommodate the second section 16 in the inoperative launcher position. The housing 18, has, as may be seen in FIGURE- 3, a rearwardly opening chamber 19 for the cap 20 of an igniter, the tube 21 of which extends through a port 22 into the breech end of the section 15 where it is operatively connected to a rocket, not shown. The housing 18 also has a forwardly opening chamber 23 having an internal shoulder 24 and connected to the chamber 19 by a bore 25.

The housing 18 supports a rigid member 26 in the form of a channel which extends forwardly into the housing 27 with which the second section is provided, the housing 27 extending lengthwise thereof. The member 26 slidably supports a firing member 28 shown, see FIGURES 3 and 7, as including a rearward, firing pin portion 29 within the chamber 23. The firing pin portion 29 hasa flange 30 within the chamber 23 with a coiled compression spring 31 being held between the flange 30 and the shoulder 24 and a somewhat longer compression spring 32 being held between the flange 30 and the retainer 33 at the forward end offthe chamber 23. The spring 31 is a cushioning spring while the spring 32 is the firing spring and in FIGURE 3, the firing member 28 is in a normal position, the position it has unless moved forwardly into its cocked position, the position illustrated by FIGURE 7, or driven rearwardly by the firing spring 32. The firing pin portion 29 is disposed and dimensioned to enter and extend through the bore 25 into contact with the cap 20 in its firing position and after firing contact with the cap 20, it is withdrawn by the spring 31. 1

The forward end of the firing member 28 has a slot 28A shown in FIGURE 4 as overlying a slot 26A in the forward end of the rigid member 26 which is provided with a spring latch 34 entrant of the slots 28A and 26A when the launcher is in its inoperative shortened position or when, after firing, the firing member 28 is returned to its normal position by the spring 31. In practice, the spring latch 34 is held entrant of the slots 28A and 26A by a lock 35 in the form of a locking sleeve slidably supported by the member 26 and yieldably urged rearwardly into its operative position as by a spring 36 shown as anchored to the member 26.

The rear part of the housing 27 is shown as an enlarged chamber 27A within which is located the trigger 37 provided with an intermediate support 38 connected by a transverse pivot 39 to the chamber 27A. Forwardly of its pivot 39, the trigger 37 has a finger contact 40 protruding upwardly through a chamber opening 41 and rearwardly of the pivot, the trigger 37 has depending sears 42 straddling the firing member 28 and engageable, when the launcher has been extended to a predetermined extent with laterally projecting shoulders 43 with which the firing member is provided. A U-shaped spring 44 within the chamber 27A bears against the trigger rearwardly of its pivot 39 to yieldably urge the sears 42 downwardly into their operative position and the finger contact 40 upwardly.

A safety 45 is slidably supported by the rigid member 26 within the chamber 27 and is yieldably held in its operative position by springs 46 shown as anchored to the trigger pivot 39. In its operative position, the safety 45 underlies the forward part of the trigger 37 to block its movement. The safety 45 is formed with laterally disposed projections 47 extending through slots 48 in the side walls of the chamber 27A so that they may be easily engaged and moved forwardly to permit the trigger 37 to be actuated. The safety 45 is releasably held in its forward or firing position by means later described.

When the rocket launcher has been extended to a predetermined extent, the slidable lock 35 engages and is held by a depending stop Stl secured in the front part of the chamber 27. Until such engagement, the members 26 and 28 and the lock 35 move together and following such engagement, the lock 35 is advanced relative to those members until the latch 34 is freed. Such disengagement is effected when the sears 42 engage the shoulders 43 to cause the firing member 28 to move with the launcher section 16 during the final short relative movement between the launcher sections required to establish its operative, fully extended position. As the rigid member 26 moves relative to the second section 16 and the firing member 28 moves with the second section 16 relatively to the rigid member 26, the firing member 28 moves into its firing position, camming the latch 34 out of the slots 26A and 28A, and tensioning the firing spring 32. It will be noted that the rear face 34A of the latch 34 is in the form of a cam so that it is cammed upwardly when engaged by the rear end of the slot 28A and thereafter rides on the upper surface of the member 28.

It is necessary to lock the two launcher sections'against movement once the operative launcher position is established and this result is shown as attained by pivotably connected a latching member 51 to the forward end of the rigid member 26 which is under the influence of a spring 52 thus to snap outwardly with its latching shoulder 51A exposed and seated against the forward edge of the port 53 in the housing 27 to lock the sections against being telescoped towards each other until the latching member 51 is pressed inwardly. in practice, the housing 27 also has a forward port 54 below which there is a front sight 55 hinged as at 56 to be folded rearwardly and held down, in the inoperative position of the launcher, by the latching member which then overlies it to prevent the sight 55 from being erected by the erecting spring 57. The ports 53 and 54 are narrower than the latching member 51 but the port 54 is long enough to permit the sight 55 to erect itself 4 therethrough, the front sight 55 being narrower than the port 54.

A rear sight 58 is connected to the housing part 27 by a pivot 59 so that it may be swung between a position in which it is parallel to the launcher axis and a position of use in which it is upright with respect thereto. The sight is yieldably held in its upright position by a spring 60 coiled about the pivot 59 permitting it to be manually pivoted rearwardly and downwardly into a position for entry into the housing space 18A when the launcher sections are teleseoped together.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that when the launcher is extended into its operative position, the firing member 26 becomes operatively positioned, the firing spring 32 becomes operatively tensioned, the launcher sections are locked together but the trigger is held against movement by the safety 45, and the sights are automatically erected. It will be appreciated that, should the launcher be again shortened into its inoperative position, the firing member 28 would be returned to its original position in which it is locked to the rigid member 26, and the firing spring 32 would be untensioned.

It will be noted that the safety 45 includes a channel 61 to receive the latch 34 and the channel 61 leads into a rearward chamber 62 wherein there is a transverse member 63. It will be apparent that should the trigger sears fail to hold, the resilient latch would enter the slot 28A as the member 26 moves rearwardly thus to arrest it before the igniter cap 26 was engaged. It will also be noted that when the safety is moved forwardly to free the trigger, the member 63 engages the cam face 34A and forces the latch upwardly so that it may pass thereunder to hold it against operation thus to use the latch 34 as a detent releasably holding the safety 45 in its firing position. Should the latching member 51 be released, the tensioned firing spring 32 is operative to draw the launcher sections towards each other to release the safety 45 which is then returned to its operative position by the springs 46 so that it is impossible to have the safety 45 in its unsafe position when the launcher is in its shortened, inoperative position.

It is desirable that the ends of the launcher be closed until the launcher is extended for use as it is to be carried with a rocket within. In practice, a cover 64 to be seated against the muzzle end of the launcher section 16 is provided with a yoke 65 pivotally connected thereto at diametrically spaced zones. to straddle the muzzle end and is connected to a strap 66 which is connected to a hook 67 by a resilient unit 68. An adjustable carrying strap 69 is also connected to the yoke 65 and the hook 67.

Adjacent the rear end of the launcher section 16, there is a collar 70 having an arm 71 pivotally connected thereto. The arm 71 is part of a cover 72 for closing the breech end of the launcher section 15 when the launcher is in its shortened, inoperative position with the cover 72 having a slot 73 enabling it to pass over projections 74 which are apertured to receive the U-shaped keeper pin 75. The junction of the arm 71 and the cover 72 provides a shoulder 76 engageable by the hook 67.

When the covers are in place, the strap 62 holds each against the appropriate section end and also holds the launcher in its inoperative position. When the launcher is to be used, the pin 75 is withdrawn and when the cover 72 is tilted rearwardly, the strap 66 and the front cover 64 fall otf.

We claim:

1. In a rocket launcher, first and second tubular sections telescopingly connected to enable said launcher to be extended from a shortened, inoperative position into an elongated, operative position, one end of said first section i being the breech end of the launcher, said first section The yoke 65 is dimensioned tions releasably interengaged in said operative position, and means to fire a rocket positioned in said first launcher section, said means including a second rigid member which is the firing member and is movable relative to said first section between a rearward firing position and a forward cocked position, a firing spring tensioned by movement of said firing member into said cocked position, said members including means interengaged to cause their movement together relative to said second launcher section as said launcher is extended until a predetermined short further relative movement of said sections is required to establish said operative position, and means releasably connecting said firing member to said second section during said short relative movement thereby to tension said spring to disengage said means by which the members were caused to move'together.

2. In a rocket launcher, first and second tubular sections connected to telescope between a shortened, inoperative position and an elongated, operative position, one end of said first section being the breech end of the launcher, said first section fitting within said second section, said first section including a first rigid member overlying said section to move relative thereto as the sections are extended to provide said operative position, a rigid firing member connected -to said first section for limited movement relative thereto and to said first member between rearward firing and forward cocked positions, a firing spring tensioned when said firing member is in said cocked position, a lock interconnecting said members when in a predetermined lengthwise relationship, a trigger carried by said second section for movement between a holding position and a releasing position, and means to release said lock when said sections have been extended until a predetermined short further relative movement of said sections is required to establish said operative launcher position, said firing member and said trigger including portions then interengaging if said trigger is in said holding position thereby to cause said firing member to move with said second section into its cocked position during said short movement.

3. In a rocket launcher, first and second tubular sections connected to telescope between a shortened, inoperative position and an elongated, operative position, one end of said first section being the breech end of the launcher, said first first section fitting within said second section, said first section including a first rigid member overlying said second section to move relative thereto as the sections are extended to provide said operative position, a rigid firing member connected to said first section for limited movement relative thereto and to said first member between rearward firing and forward cocked positions, a firing spring tensioned when said firing memer is in said cocked position, a lock interconnecting said members when in a predetermined lengthwise relationship, a trigger carried by said second section for'movement between a holding position and a releasing position, and means to release said lock when said sections have been extended until a predetermined short further relative movement of said sections is required to establish said operative launcher position, said firing member and said trigger including portions then interengaging if said trigger is in said holding position thereby to cause said firing member to move with said second section into its cocked position during said short movement, and said means also being operative to eifect re-engagement of said lock when said sections are telescoped together said short movement from the operative launcher position.

4. In a rocket launcher, first and second tubular sections connected to telescope between a shortened, inoperative position and an elongated, operative position, one end of said first section being the breech end of the launcher, said first section fitting within said second section, said first section including a first rigid member overlying said second section to move relative thereto as the sections are extended to provide said operative position, a rigid firing member connected to said first section for limited movement relative thereto and to said first member between rearward firing and forward cocked positions, a firing spring tensioned when saidfiring member is in said cocked position, means interconnecting 'said members when in a predetermined lengthwise relationship, said means including a latch and a lock for said latch, a trigger carried by said second section for movement between a holding position and a releasing position, and means to release said lock when said sections have been extended until a predetermined short further relative movement of said sections is required to establish s'a-id operative launcher position, said firing memberand said trigger including portions then interengaging if said trigger is in said holding position thereby to cause said firing member to move with said second section into its cocked position and to open said latch during said short movement, and a safety movable between safe and firing positions, said safety in said firing position holding said latch against re-engagement.

5. In a rocket launcher, first and second tubular sections connected to telescope between a shortened, inoperative position and an elongated, operative position, one end of said first section being the breech end of the launcher, said first section fitting within said second section, said-first section including a first rigid member overlying said second section to move relative thereto as the sections are extended to provide said operative position, a rigid firing member connected to said first section for limited movement relative thereto. and to said first member between rearward firing and forward cocked positions, a firing spring tensioned when said firing member is in said cocked position, means interconnecting said members when in a predetermined lengthwise relationship against movement of said firing member into either position, a trigger carried by said second section for movement between a holding position and a releasing position, said firing member and said trigger including'portions interengageable when said sections have been extended until a predetermined short further relative movement of said sections is required to establish said operative launcher position thereby to cause said firing member to move with said second section into its cocked position during' said short movement and means operable to render said interconnecting means inoperative during said short movement both in extending and shortening said launcher.

6. In a rocket launcher, first and second tubular sections connected to telescope between a shortened, inop-- erative position and an elongated, operative position, one end of said first section being the breech end of the launcher, said first section fitting within said second section, said first section including a first rigid member overlying said second section to move relative thereto as the sections are extended to provide said operative position, a rigid firing member connected to said first section for limited movement relative thereto and to said first member between rearward firing and forward cocked positions, at firing spring tensioned when said firing member is in said cocked position, means interconnecting said members when in a predetermined lengthwise relationship against movement of said firing pin into either position, a trigger carried by said second section for movement between a holding position and a releasing position, said firing member and said trigger including portions interengageable when said sections have been extended until a predetermined short further relative movement of said sections is required to establish said operative launcher position thereby to cause said firing member to move with said second section into its cocked position during said short movement and means operable to render said interconnecting means inoperative during said short movement both in extending and shortening said launcher, and a safety movable from a safe position preventing movement of said trigger into a releasing position, said safety holding said interconnecting means inoperative when said safety is in trigger releasing position.

7. In a rocket launcher, first and second tubular sections connected to telescope between a shortened, inoperative position and an elongated, operative position, one end of said first section being the breech end of the launcher, said first section fitting within said second section, said first section including a first rigid member overlying said second section to move relative thereto as the sections are extended to provide said operative position, a rigid firing member connected to said first section for limited movement relative thereto and to said first member between rearward firing and forward cocked positions, a firing spring tensioned when said firing member is in said cocked position, means interconnecting said members when in a predetermined lengthwise relationship against movement of said firing pin into either position, a trigger carried by said second section for movement between a holding position and a releasing position, said firing member and said trigger including portions interengageable when said sections have been extended until a predetermined short further relative movement of said sections is required to establish said operative launcher position thereby to cause said firing member to move with said section into its cocked position during said short movement and means operable to render said interconnecting means inoperative during said short movement both in extending and shortening said launcher, a safety movable from a safe position preventing movement of said trigger into a releasing position, said safety holding said interconnecting means inoperative when said safety is in trigger releasing position, and resilient means yieldably maintaining said safety in its safe position.

8. In a rocket launcher, first and second tubular sections connected to telescope between a shortened, inoperative position and an elongated, operative position, one end of said first section being the breech end of the launcher, said first section fitting within said second section, said first section including a first rigid member overlying said second section to move relative thereto as the sections are extended to provide said operative position, a rigid firing member connected to said first section for limited movement relative thereto and to said first member between rearward firing and forward cocked positions, a firing spring tensioned when said firing member is in said cocked position, said members including holding portions, locking means including a spring latch carried by said first member yieldably interconnecting said holding portions when in a predetermined lengthwise relation thereby to hold said firing member against movement into either position, said locking means also including a slidable lock carried by said first member and movable between a rearward position holding said latch in its operative position and a forward position freeing said latch, a trigger carried by said second section for movement between a holding position and a releasing position, said firing member and said trigger including portions interengageable when said sections have been extended until a predetermined short further relative movement of said sections is required to establish said operative launcher position, thereby to cause said firing member to move with said second section into its cocked position during said short movement, said lock and said second section including stop portions interengaged during said short movement and then moving said lock into its forward position, relative movement between said members disengaging said latch, said latch, when disengaged, riding on said firing member.

9. In a rocket launcher, first and second tubular sections connected to telescope between a shortened, inoperative position and an elongated, operative position, one end of said first section being the breech end of the launcher, said first section fitting within said second section, said first section including a first rigid member overlying said second section to move relative thereto as'the sections are extended to provide said operative position, a rigid firing member connected to said first section for limited movement relative thereto and to said first member between rearward firing and forward cocked positions, a firing spring tensioned when said firing member is in said cocked positon, said members including holding portions, locking means including a spring latch carried by said first member yieldably interconnecting said holding portions when in a predetermined lengthwise relation thereby to lock said firing member against movement into either positon, a slidable lock carried by said first member and movable ibe-twen a rearward position holding said latch in locking position and a forward position freeing said latch, a spring yieldably urging said lock into its rearward position, a trigger carried by said second section for movement between a holding position and a releasing position, said firing member and said trigger including portions interengageable when said sections have been extended until a predetermined short further relative movement of said sections is required to establish said operative launcher position thereby to cause said firing member to move with said second section into its cocked position during said short movement, said lock and said second section including stop portions interengaged during said short movement and then moving said lock into its forward position, relative movement between said members disengaging said latch, said latch, when disengaged, riding on said firing member.

10. In a rocket launcher, first and second tubular sections connected to telescope between a shortened, inoperative position and an elongated, operative position, one end of said first section being the breech end of the launcher, said first section fitting within said second section, said first section including a first rigid member overlying said second section to move relative thereto as the sections are extended to provide said operative position, a rigid firing member connected to said first section for limited movement relative thereto and to said first member between rearward firing and forward cocked positions, a firing spring tensioned when said firing member is in said cocked position, said members including holding portions, locking means including a spring latch carried by said first member yieldably interconnecting said holding portions when in a predetermined lengthwise relation thereby to lock said firing member against movement into ether position, a slidable lock carried by said first member and movable bet-ween a rearward position holding said latch in locking position and a forward position freeing said latch, a spring yieldably urging said lock into its rearward position, a trigger carried by said second section for movement between a holding position and a releasing position, said firing member and said trigger including portions interengageable when said sections have been extended until a predetermined short further relative movement of said sections is required to establish said operative launcher position thereby to cause said firing member to move with said second section into its cocked position during said short movement, said lock and said second section including stop portions interengaged during said short movement and then moving said lock into its forward position, relative movement between said members disengaging said latch, said latch, when disengaged, riding on said firing member, and a safety movable forwardly from a safe position in which movement of said trigger into a trigger releasing position is prevented, said safety including a part locking said latch against interlocking movement when said safety is positioned to release said trigger.

11. The rocket launcher of claim 8 in which the first member is of U-shaped section and the firing member is slidably supported therein, both members having slots whose forward edges are the holding portions engageable by the latch, and the latch includes a rearwardly disposed cam portion engageable by the rearward edge of the firing member slot on relative movement between the members, thereby to raise the latch into riding position.

-12. The rocket launcher of claim 10 in which spring means yieldably urge the safety into trigger holding position.

'13. The rocket launcher of claim 10 in which the latch has a cam surface, the safety is slidably supported by the first member and is chambered to receive the latch when riding on the firing member and the safety includes a member engageable with the cam surface of the latch and is moved into latch holding engagement therewith when the safety is moved fonwardly to release the trigger.

14. The rocket launcher of claim '10 in which the latch has a cam surface, the safety is slidably supported by the first member and is chambered to receive the latch when riding on the firing member and the safety includes a member engageable with the cam surface of the latch and is moved into latch holding engagement therewith when the safety is moved forwardly to release the trigger, and spring means yieldably urging the safety into its safe position.

1 5. In a rocket launcher, first and second tubular sections telescopingly connected to enable said launcher to be extended from a shortened inoperative position into an elongated operative position, one end of the first section being :the breech end of the launcher, said first section fitting within said second section, means releasably holding said sections insaid operative position, means to fire a rocket positioned in said first section, said firing means including a firing member and a firing spring, said firing member moving relative to said second section after said sections have been extended to a predetermined extent into its cocked position and during such movement tensioning said spring, trigger controlled means releasably holding said member against movement by said firing spring, a safety operable between member-holding and member-releasing positions and resiliently urged towards its holding position, latch means operable to hold said safety in its inoperative position, and means to release said latch means if said means for releasably holding the sections becomes ineffective.

'16. The rocket launcher of claim 15 in which the latch means are operative when said safety is in its operative position to engage with and hold the firing member in its non-firing position, if the trigger controlled means hecomes ineffective to hold the firing member against movement by the firing spring.

No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

25 S. W. BNGLE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A ROCKET LAUNCHER, FIRST AND SECOND TUBULAR SECTIONS TELESCOPINGLY CONNECTED TO ENABLE SAID LAUNCHER TO BE EXTENDED FROM A SHORTENED, INOPERATIVE POSITION INTO AN ELONGATED, OPERATIVE POSITION, ONE END OF SAID FIRST SECTION BEING THE BREECH END OF THE LAUNCHER, SAID FIRST SECTION FITTING WITHIN SAID SECOND SECTION, SAID FIRST SECTION INCLUDING A FIRST RIGID MEMBER OVERLYING SAID SECOND SECTION, SAID SECOND SECTION AND SAID FIRST MEMBER INCLUDING PORTIONS RELEASABLY INTERENGAGED IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION, AND MEANS TO FIRE A ROCKET POSITIONED IN SAID FIRST LAUNCHER SECTION, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A SECOND RIGID MEMBER WHICH IS THE FIRING MEMBER AND IS MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST SECTION BETWEEN A REARWARD FIRING POSITION AND A FORWARD COCKED POSITION, A FIRING SPRING TENSIONED BY MOVEMENT OF SAID FIRING MEMBER INTO SAID COCKED POSITION, SAID MEMBER INCLUDING MEANS INTERENGAGED TO CAUSE THEIR MOVEMENT TOGETHER RELATIVE TO SAID SECOND LAUNCHER SECTION AS SAID LAUNCHER IS EXTENDED UNTIL A PREDETERMINED SHORT FURTHER RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID SECTIONS IS REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH SAID OPERATIVE POSITION, AND MEAN RELEASABLY CONNECTING SAID FIRING MEMBER TO SAID SECOND SECTION DURING SAID SHORT RELATIVE MOVEMENT THEREBY TO TENSION SAID SPRING TO DISENGAGE SAID MEANS BY WHICH THE MEMBERS WERE CAUSED TO MOVE TOGETHER. 